I'm working on developing a Product, uncertain of success. Am I wasting time? | Hacker News Reader

I'm working on developing a Product, uncertain of success. Am I wasting time?

4 pointsbjoe_lewis9 comments

I'm developing a product which puts an Interactive Restuarant Menu on a Tablet Screen, expecting it to be bought by hotel firms. Almost complete, I'm starting to feel as if I'm wasting time on building something unsure of its success. Is it normal? or should I switch project? P.S I'm a yet to pass out college hacker

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Develop customer then the product. Take a look at Lean startup by Eric Ries, search for Customer Development, read Steve Blank, read Start slow & Stay Small by Rob Walling. Talk to businesses. Get out of your computer screen. Ask their opinion. Ask them to pay you.

I would approach some hotels and restaurants now since you indicated it's almost completed and see what their feedback is, what features they like and would like added, how much value does this bring their hotel/restaurant.

If you have a friend in the restaurant business or become friends with one during your initial demos get some feedback on pricing as well.

Consider a setup fee and a monthly maintenance fee that includes improvements to the product and making up to once monthly updates to the menu on an ongoing basis.

Good luck in 2013.

Have you talked to your market? Done any type of research? Did you one day decide this would be a great thing to build?

If you answered no any of the first two questions and/or yes to the third one, then go ahead and stop wasting your time. you need to realize one thing: Products are not born because you think there is a need. Products are born because you found a need and want to cater to it.

If it's almost complete, then finish it. Load it on your tablet and start marketing yourself. Talk to local restaurants and ask then to try it out on 1 or 2 devices. Give it off for free and just collect feedback. It is a decent idea and has potential.

There is still value in a completed product, even if you never get a single paying customer. Taking something from basic idea to completion on your own is a positive signal, giving you a lot more career and business options down the line.

Find out if anybody needs or wants it first. The worst thing that can happen is that you spend X amount of time building something that you never determined anybody needed or wanted in the first place.

Do that by getting businesses to PAY you (even if it's not finished yet). Sometimes people say that they would like a solution for X, but when it comes to paying for it they back out.

Have you done any presales stuff? Have you talked to customers, drummed up business yet? Have any of them seen your prototypes?

If you haven't, you may be shocked once it comes time to sell.

I will suggest keep building.

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